Cleaning device.



PATBNTED MAY 8, 1906.

E. B. COLWELL.

CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.27, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLEANING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed March 27, 1905. SerialNo. 252,388.

To all whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EMMA B. CoLwELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Medway, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaning Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a cleaner for receptacles.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a glass jar in which is placed one of my cleaners in operative position, seen in side elevation; Fig. 2, a sectional view of a part of the cleaner, showing sufficient of its construction to allow of its being understood; and Fig. 3, a side elevation of a non-flexible tube or handle aflixed to a head-piece,.which head-piece is shown in horizontal section.

The numeral 1 shows the jar or receptacle; 2, a compressible elastic bulb.

3 shows aflexible tube consisting of a coiled wire introduced into a rubber or other flexible tube, the lower end of the coiled wire en tering the preferably metallic connection 4, as seen in Fig. 2, and made fast therein by solder or other means.

At 4 will be seen the end of the coveringtube, made fast to the connection with cement, forming an air and water tight connection with the piece 4; but this connection may be made by drawing the end of the tube 3 over the branch on the piece 4 and cementing it fast or not, as seen at 4. The connection 4 also contains a coiled wire 5, which projects from its ends, the projecting ends having a rubber or other flexible covering drawn over them, as seen at 5, the inner end of the tubing 5 being drawn over the end of the connection 4 and cemented thereto or not, the farther end of tubing 5 being closed, as seen at 6, by a plug, preferably, and having a point 6 projecting sufficiently to act as a scraper with which to forcibly detach any substance strongly adhering to the inner surface of the receptacle or lodging in a place where the surface of the head-piece cannot reach it. Through the covering tubing or flexible cover 5 are formed openings orholes 9.

In Fig. 3 I show a non-flexible tube, preferably metallic, at 8, screwed or otherwise attached to the connection 4, and a piece of rubber or other flexible tubing 5 slipped over the ends of the connection, the end of the tubing being closed, as seen at 6, and having opening through the tubing, as seen at 9. In Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown but one end of the head-pieces supplied with flexible tubing 5; but it will be understood that both ends of the head-pieces are so supplied. In Fig. 3 the tubing 5 has no spring and maintains its configuration by the inherent stiffness of the material of which it is made solely.

The operation is as follows: The headpiece with a portion of the stem 3 is introduced into a receptacle having more or less water or cleansing fluid in it. The bulb 2 is pressed until the air is excluded and allowed to expand, drawing a quantity of the fluid through the holes 9 and into the head-piece and stem 3, when the head-piece, with its tubes 5, is rubbed over the interior of the receptacle and at the same time the bulb 2 is pressed, forcing out some of the water against the interior of the receptacle, when it will be cleansed. The object of the flexibility in the tubes 5 5 is to allow them to conform to the surfaces to be cleaned.

While I prefer the stem to be flexible, as seen in Figs 1 and 2, on account of its many times being used in small receptacles where flexibility of the stem is very desirable, I also provide and show in Fig. 3 a stem 8, which is not flexible, for use in larger receptacles wherein the flexibility in the tubes 5 5 will supply sufficient flexibility for all practical purposes.

Having described my invention so that those skilled in the art may know how to make and use the same, what I claim is 1. In a cleaner for receptacles an elastic compressible bulb; a flexible tube consisting of a coiled spring inside a flexible impervious jacket, the bulb and the tube being in operative connection; a head-piece in operative connection with the tube, said head-piece being also flexible and having openings therein all'arranged and operating so that a cleansing fluid may be forced into and out of said head-piece and said headpiece practically conform to the surface being cleaned, substantially as described.

2. In a cleaner for receptacles an elastic compressible bulb; a tube consisting of a coiled spring inside an elastic jacket, the bulb and said tube being in operative connection; a headpiece in operative connection with the ICC said tube and consisting of a coiled spring in- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature side an elastic jacket said jacket having open- I in presence of two Witnesses. ings therein all arranged and operating so El [M a B COLWELL that a cleansing fluid may be forced into and 5 out of the tube and head-piece and the head- Witnesses:

piece practically conform to the surface being v M. C. RAYMOND, cleaned substantiallyas described. W. H. SPENCER. 

